Total War: Warhammer II: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing Total War: Warhammer II on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Total War: Warhammer II is a 2017 strategy game from Creative Assembly, and by modern standards it is not a particularly heavy title. Its official requirements are modest, and a wide range of older and current hardware can run it. The catch is that the game is CPU-heavy in large battles and during late-game turn processing, so while the graphics card matters, the processor can become the limiting factor when the map fills up with armies. This guide breaks down the official PC system requirements for Total War: Warhammer II, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations to hit your target experience.

How Demanding Is Total War: Warhammer II?

Total War: Warhammer II is not demanding on PC hardware by today’s standards. It launched on September 28, 2017, and its official minimum spec asks for an Intel Core 2 Duo at 3.0 GHz, 5 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 460 1GB, Radeon HD 5770 1GB, or Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics at 720p. The official recommended spec is an Intel Core i5-4570, 8 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 770 4GB or Radeon R9 290X 4GB for 1080p. Those are old, low bars, so most modern gaming PCs will run the game without trouble.

Where the game can still push a system is the CPU. Large real-time battles with many units, and the turn processing between them, are the parts that stress the processor most. A modest graphics card can often keep up while a weaker CPU struggles to feed it. For that reason, this is a title where a balanced system matters more than a flagship GPU. The sections below explain what each resolution realistically needs without overselling the game as a hardware monster.

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Total War: Warhammer II Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official Total War: WARHAMMER II Steam store listing (app 594570), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for Total War: Warhammer II by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p, the official recommended GPU is a GeForce GTX 770 4GB or Radeon R9 290X 4GB. That is the target the game was built around, and modern entry-level and mid-range cards sit well above it. A GeForce GTX 1650, RTX 3050, RTX 4060, RTX 5060, Radeon RX 6600, or RX 9060 XT will all handle 1080p comfortably. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is far more graphics power than the official 1080p recommendation, so it leaves plenty of headroom for high settings and larger battles.

1440p

1440p goes beyond the official recommended resolution, so you need more GPU than the GTX 770 or R9 290X. A modern mid-range card such as a GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 5060, or a Radeon RX 9060 XT, is a sensible starting point. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is comfortably above that level and will give you a lot of headroom at 1440p. Because the game is older, you do not need a flagship to enjoy it at this resolution, but stepping up from the official 1080p spec is worthwhile.

4K

4K is well beyond the official recommended spec, which tops out at 1080p. To run Total War: Warhammer II at 4K, you need a strong modern card such as a GeForce RTX 4070 or RTX 5070, or a Radeon RX 9070. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a solid choice for this resolution. If you want more headroom, resolution scaling or driver-level upscaling can help, but the game itself is not built around modern upscaling features, so treat 4K as a case where raw GPU power still matters.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Total War: Warhammer II

The official CPU requirements are low: an Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0 GHz at minimum and an Intel Core i5-4570 at recommended. Almost any modern processor clears that bar easily. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is far more CPU than the game requires, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is one of the fastest gaming processors you can buy and will help most in the largest battles and late-game turn times. Intel users can look at the Intel Core i5-14600K, which is likewise well beyond the official recommendation. If you are building around this game alone, you do not need to spend heavily on the CPU, but a modern chip with strong single-core performance is useful because Total War titles lean on one or a few threads for much of their simulation.

For memory, the official recommendation is 8 GB. That is enough to meet the game’s published spec. A 16 GB kit is a comfortable modern baseline if you keep other applications open, and 32 GB is more than Total War: Warhammer II needs on its own. The Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is a high-capacity option, but 8 GB to 16 GB is the practical range for this title. For storage, the game asks for 60 GB of available space. An SSD is not required by the official spec, but it will reduce load times and make campaign map transitions feel smoother. The Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD is far more capacity than this one game needs, though it is a good choice if you want a fast drive for a larger library.

Recommended PC Builds for Total War: Warhammer II

1080p budget build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — this is well above the official recommended spec and will run Total War: Warhammer II at 1080p with high settings and room to spare.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — a build that goes well beyond the official 1080p recommendation and gives you comfortable 1440p performance in large battles.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — for 4K, which is far beyond the official spec and needs a strong modern GPU.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Total War: Warhammer II?

If your PC already meets the official recommended spec — an i5-4570, 8 GB of RAM, and a GTX 770 4GB or R9 290X 4GB — you do not need to upgrade for this game. It is a 2017 title and its requirements are modest. If you are below the minimum, a modern entry-level GPU such as an RTX 3050 or RX 6600 will get you well past the old GTX 460 / HD 5770 baseline. If you already have a capable GPU but large battles still feel sluggish, the CPU is the more likely bottleneck, so a platform upgrade may help more than a new graphics card. Adding RAM beyond 8 GB is only useful if you multitask heavily, and an SSD is a nice quality-of-life upgrade for load times rather than a requirement. Target the weakest part of your current build instead of replacing everything at once.

Can You Play Total War: Warhammer II on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes. The official minimum includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics at 720p, so Total War: Warhammer II can run on laptops without a dedicated GPU. Modern integrated graphics such as Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon 680M/780M will handle it at 720p with low settings. A gaming laptop with a GeForce GTX 1650, RTX 3050, RTX 4050, or RTX 5060 mobile GPU can move up to 1080p. On handhelds like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, the game is a good fit because it is older and relatively light; expect to play at 720p or 800p with low-to-medium settings, and use a fast microSD or SSD for storage. Battery life and thermals will vary by device, but this is not a title that should overwhelm a modern handheld.

How to Boost FPS in Total War: Warhammer II

If performance is lower than you want, start by checking whether you meet the official minimum and recommended specs. On the graphics side, shadows, effects, and anti-aliasing are usually among the most expensive settings, so lower those first. If you are CPU-limited in large battles, reducing the unit size or army size, if the game offers that option, can ease the load on the processor more than lowering GPU settings. Resolution scaling or a lower output resolution can also help if your GPU is the bottleneck. Keep your graphics drivers up to date, close background applications, and install the game on an SSD if you want faster loading. Because Total War: Warhammer II is an older DirectX 11 title, it does not rely on modern upscaling or frame-generation features, so traditional settings changes are the main way to improve performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Total War: Warhammer II?

If your PC meets the official minimum — a 3.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 5 GB of RAM, and a GTX 460 1GB, HD 5770 1GB, or Intel HD 4000 — it can run Total War: Warhammer II. For the official recommended 1080p experience, aim for an Intel Core i5-4570, 8 GB of RAM, and a GTX 770 4GB or R9 290X 4GB. Any modern gaming PC will clear those bars easily.

Is Total War: Warhammer II demanding on PC?

No, not by modern standards. It is a 2017 strategy game with modest official requirements. The main area where it can still feel heavy is the CPU load in very large battles and during late-game turn processing.

What GPU do I need for Total War: Warhammer II at 1440p 60fps?

1440p is above the official recommended 1080p spec, so you need more than a GTX 770 or R9 290X. A modern mid-range card such as a GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 5060, or a Radeon RX 9060 XT, is a sensible starting point. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER gives you comfortable headroom for 1440p at 60fps.

How much RAM does Total War: Warhammer II need?

The official minimum is 5 GB and the official recommended is 8 GB. That means 8 GB is enough for the game as published. 16 GB is a comfortable modern baseline if you keep other programs open, while 32 GB is more than this title needs.

Do I need an SSD for Total War: Warhammer II?

No, an SSD is not required by the official spec. The game asks for 60 GB of available storage space. That said, an SSD will reduce load times and make the campaign map smoother. An NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a fast option, but it is optional for this game.